


To whoever this may reach

by Kasstype2



Category: Naturalism, Nature - Fandom, Scientific literature - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:49:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23855641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kasstype2/pseuds/Kasstype2
Summary: This is an interpellation of the letters written by Gilbert White at the turn of the 20th century from the point of view of a tree that is dying from a threat it is unable to comprehend. It was important to me to keep the geniality and the attempt to understand the world that was in the original works.





	To whoever this may reach

To whoever this may reach,

Drying occurs long before my roots have drawn water, the winds had brought rain and yet I am left feeling empty by the time the black birds return. Its not as if there is no water around, water that I could have used to grow to add another ring, to produce seeds so we can continue but, it somehow escapes me. This is a call of desperation more than anything those who had surrounded me have wilted and collapsed last roosting season. We have known friends to disappear before, events where the old are swept away for the young to emerge but this is something else. We turn sickly as the heat of the dry season drags on, instead of burning away our shrivelled shell remains. Though few in number I hope that my message is carried through these black birds, I only seek to understand why everything is fading.

May this message find you in better health, Banksia 

* * *

Dear Wandoo,

Among the few replies I received there was the reoccurring feeling of loss similar to what you have experienced. Your statement that we are facing the same issue is one I must disagree with, your description of the complete absence of your familiars has been described by other Banksia trees. They claim that a new type of tree that grows faster than us and seems to be preferable to the black birds as a place to feed and rest. How these new trees came to replace so many in such a short period is a mystery, but it does differ drastically from your situation. As for my own situation, our numbers dropped over a couple of seasons, after what should have been a period of growth. The rain had begun early with the young black birds barely leaving the nests, before they returned all was well. We had built up our canopies our roots had access to water there was life, we were free to talk and think. The loss was an unusual feeling at first, like I said in a previous missive it was unlike any fire or disease that we have experienced before. Trees on what was now the border began to cry out in thirst, we assumed that there was an issue that was related to the loss that those trees had already been exposed too (I believe this what happened to your kind but there is no tree left there to confirm.) so we were less concerned than we ought to have been. Following seasons are what showed us that there is something wrong, trees in areas far removed from the border were now claiming that their thirst couldn’t be meet, voices of those on the border were now weaker now they sounded as if they had barely survived a drought but we all waited to hear what they said. What they were experienced was something that none of us had even imagined, they had no reprieve from the heat and what little water they held was drawn out into the air all while other weaker plants thrived, they were dying of thirst while water was abundant. After that it all becomes more of the same, the sickly plants seemed to multiply every season the only reprieve from the spread was a period without rain. During the dry season those who were sick left us and we had hoped this would be enough to stop the spread unfortunately, this wasn’t the case. After the next wet period there were more claims of the thirst and its continued to claim us since.

Wishing you plentiful growth Banksia 

* * *

Dear Wandoo,

I am surprised to hear that the black birds are still high in number, even before our populations had dropped the numbers of birds that roosted here were smaller than we expected, the dates you gave me for the clearing of land around you seems to coincide with the drops in the number of birds. It saddens me to say but I believe that they have found another place to roost, which would allow for their numbers to be high when they come to you. What I saw when there before our sick left makes me think that it might not be any better for the birds than it is for us. As the trees were thirsty they were unable to produce any seeds, as such a large number of us were sick the ones who were healthy were inundated by birds looking for food. With reduced food around the trees that were fruiting would have been left with the impression that there was a high number of the birds around simply because the birds were focusing on those healthy trees, I believe that it may be the case for you as well. It may be possible that the black birds have been able to find an alternate breeding location just as they seem to have found an alternative to me however, I am yet to receive an messages from anything other than native trees who have all claimed that their numbers are dwindling. I believe that this year will be a wet one, the thirst will likely overcome me before I receive your reply. Our messages have brought relief even if it has not given me the answer to why we have faded, I hope the black birds always find their way to you and that the years treat you well. Yours truly, Banksia


End file.
